Karnataka Guarantee Schemes Revised: Only These People Will Get Benefits Now
CM D.K. Shivakumar's government revises rules for Gruha Lakshmi and Gruha Jyothi schemes. Voter ID is now mandatory, and door-to-door verification is launching.
In a major move to prevent the misuse of the state government’s ambitious “Five Guarantee” schemes, the government led by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is gearing up for a significant overhaul.
With the primary objective of ensuring that government benefits reach only eligible beneficiaries, the government has decided to completely revise the rules and regulations of the Gruha Lakshmi and Gruha Jyothi schemes. The department is already implementing strict measures to identify those availing of these benefits through false information.
As a massive portion of the state exchequer is being spent on these schemes, the government is determined to rectify loopholes in the system. As part of this initiative, the guarantee benefits will henceforth be available only to individuals holding a valid Karnataka Voter ID card. This will effectively cut off unauthorized benefits currently being claimed by residents of neighbouring states or non-voters.
Strict Re-verification and Household Inspections:
To rigorously re-verify applications, discussions are underway to implement a bank-style e-KYC model. For the authentication of newly submitted applications, a strict system is being introduced where officials will personally visit beneficiaries’ homes to verify documents. Furthermore, accounts linked to benefits being claimed in the name of deceased persons, income tax payers, or those violating GST regulations will be suspended shortly.
Free Window to Change Bank Accounts:
In another major development, the government has noticed that banks are automatically adjusting the ₹2,000 Gruha Lakshmi cash directly against outstanding older loans as soon as it is credited to the beneficiaries’ accounts. Recognizing that this is causing severe distress to poor women, the government has provided an open opportunity for such beneficiaries to change their linked bank accounts.
One-Week Deadline: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has issued strict instructions to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to submit a comprehensive report on the pros and cons of this entire revision process within one week. To prevent fraud at private cyber centers, the official re-verification process will be handled exclusively through Bangalore One and Karnataka One centers.
